Smugglivus 2011 Guest Blogger: Capillya of That Cover Girl

Welcome to Smugglivus 2011! Throughout this month, we will have daily guests – authors and bloggers alike – looking back at their favorite reads of 2011, and looking forward to events and upcoming books in 2012.

Who: Capillya, the blogger behind the ever-so-awesome That Cover Girl, a site dedicated to drop-dead gorgeous book covers, and the designers, art directors, illustrators, and photographers that have created them.

Give a warm welcome to Capillya, folks!

Happy Smugglivus everyone! Or is it ‘merry’ Smugglivus? Anyhoo, just understand that I have a giant silly grin on my face as I write this — I’ve been a fan of Ana and Thea’s for quite some time so I was excited, nay thrilled when Ana asked me to guest post this year.

Unfortunately after that overwhelming feeling of elation temporarily subsided, I went into a semi-panic-attack mode. You see, I’m extremely stingy with my time. If I’m going to devote hours of my life to reading a novel’s innards, those words better be worth it. I didn’t get to read near as many books this year as I’d like to, and I think the not wanting to read crap whole frugality of my time thing made me second-guess how many good books I actually did read this year.

And then I looked over my list of Books Read in 2011 and immediately felt reassured. Because these few titles absolutely made those hours worth it.

1) Blankets by Craig Thompson

Y’all, this is not a cute fun book that makes you prance around filled with glee, then go and want to book-talk it over cupcakes with your girlfriends. This is a book that bleeds all kinds of raw emotion directly from Thompson’s illustrations. A memoir of love, loss, humanity and vulnerability — it made me curl up into a little ball and squeeze a few tears out (I’ve got a bit of a robot heart so this was kind of a big deal). And! The hardcover just came out not too long ago, which I need to purchase, like, yesterday (helloooo spotgloss).

2) The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

When it comes to thinking about characters I’ve rooted the hardest for, no one fits the bill better than good ol’ Todd Hewitt. Only a story crafted by Ness that throws you in the thick of things will make you stay up until the wee hours of the morning with your eyes wide, heart racing, and have you legit crazy-talking to the book. I kid you not. I was exactly like that Bastian kid from The NeverEnding Story.

When I first opened the book, I was all:

And then as time went, on…

And of course…

No really, it’s good, I promise.

3) Too Good to be True by Kristan Higgins

I can’t even think about this book without laughing. Too Good to be True marked my foray into Higgins’ work, and it certainly won’t be my last. If you can look beyond this booty-groping cover with its clearly Photoshopped dog, within its pages is a story of Grace (who is everything but) and the awkward and hilarious scenarios she gets herself into. Coupled with a cute guy-next-door, a sex-organ-art-making-mother, and judgmental and blunt grandma, you’ve got a recipe for a fun and light-hearted contemporary romance that will keep you laughing throughout the entire novel.

4) A Straight Line to My Heart by Bill Condon

Y’know, I could write a few sentences about how this amazing and quiet little novel made me sigh in complete satisfaction, but I think you should read Carla’s review about it. Because her review speaks the song of my heart in regards to this book. And yes, I mean that in the cheesiest way possible.

5) Non-bookish (Well, sort of) Bonus: The Walking Dead

When The Walking Dead premiered late last year, I didn’t think I’d be interested. Being the world’s biggest scaredy-cat, I watched it from the corner of my couch with the lights on, superglued to Hubs with my eyes wide the entire time. When I realized that the severed zombie torso would be the least interesting thing about the first episode, I let out a sigh of relief because the fight for survival and characterization completely won me over. Now I just need something to tide me over during the second season until it comes back from winter hiatus in February!

Things I Hope Will Be Awesome in 2012

Movies: I’m all about the action.

Books:

1) Something Like Normal by Trish Doller

Aside from being completely gushed about by Carla (what can I say, I trust her opinions), author Trish Doller posted a few lines from the book here, which made me want to read it immediately. Especially because of the face-punching line. Also, a very brief summary of SLN’s story (via Doller’s tumblr):

It’s about Marines, friends, family, war, death, and love.
(But mostly Marines.)

2) Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

I like funny books. Although this sounds like a great mix of funny and sad, I’ve been assured it’s funny. I know the author’s hilarious, and that’s good enough of a reason for me to read it.

3) Elementals by Antony John

No cover for this one yet. But after feeling so much love for Five Flavors of Dumb, I swore to read anything he’d written afterwards. Here’s a synopsis from Goodreads:

Antony John’s ELEMENTAL trilogy, set in a dystopian colony of the United States where everyone is born with powers of the elements – water, wind, earth, fire – except for the one boy who is powerless… or is he?

4) This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

With my newfound love for zombies and my forever love for Courtney Summers’ writing (I say that in the non-creepiest way possible), I am beyond ecstatic about this novel coming out next summer!

Thank you so much for having me, ladies! Happy Smugglivus!

Thanks, Capillya!